September 6 – Lake Nakuru National Park

We did two game safaris today.  Great views of the lake from a hilltop.

The drive along the lake's edge shows how much the water has risen in recent year. 

There was an African Fish Eagle checking out everything from the top of a dead tree...

and a number of pelicans close to the shore. 

Everywhere in Africa the baboons seem to always be near the roads...and Lake Nakuru is no different. 

The morning highlight was seeing a lioness and her three cubs.  Unfortunately, as we drove up she was walking away from us and we could see a very large open wound on her back right leg.  She was limping rather badly.  Keven said that the wound would be a death sentence for her and her cubs as there was no way she could hunt. 

While driving in the park later Kevin flagged down a ranger and told him about the wounded lioness.  We saw the ranger again later and he said they have found the lioness and a decision had already been made to dart her so that they could clean the wound and stitch her up as best as possible.  They would also kill a zebra or wildebeest and set it out near her so that she could smell it and she and her cubs would have meat.  So with luck she should do well.

More animals we saw today:

White Rhinos up pretty close

Zebras

Lots of Water Buffalo

Cape Buffalo

A large herd of Impalas

A lone Jackal

And lot of Rothchild's Giraffes.

In the movie below, the giraffe does not seem too sure of us.  In the second segment, the giraffe goes to another bush to eat.  And notice how graceful giraffes are when they walk.

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Video of giraffes
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Today we did it.  We shot (via camera) the fifth of the Big Five, after seeing the other four in previous days and parks.  Near the end of our last game drive today we were fortunate enough to see a leopard in a tree (looked like he was very well fed).  Most sightings of leopards are them crossing the road giving you a few seconds to see them.  Occasionally, like today, you see one in tree.  

Per our guide these five animals were named the Big Five because they were the most difficult and dangerous big game animals to hunt.  In fact, he said that during the hay day of big game hunting (during the Victorian Age) about 80% of the hunters were killed by the animals they were trying to kill (yeah for the animals). 

The five are the elephant, rhino, lion, leopard and (most dangerous of all) the Cape Buffalo.  And there is a Big 7, by adding Hippos and Cheetahs, both of which we also saw.

With all of the water and grasslands we saw a lot of birds today as wll.

Superb Starling

Great Blue-Eared Starling (hanging out with a superb starling)

African Hoopoe

Wattled Starling

Secretary Bird

Ring-Necked Dove

Ground Hornbill (in a tree)

Great Blue Heron

And Flamingos.

Flamingos with lots of pelicans in the background.

Perhaps we have found Paradise.  At least it looks so.  A falls made of of molten chocolate.  How wonderful and decadent.  I'm sure it's chocolate (although I didn't actually taste it.  Such self-restraint)  😆

Actually, it is Makalia Falls in Lake Nakuru National Park, Kenya.

(But one can dreams. 🥰)

There are camping sites inside the reserve.  When asked "Don’t the animals bother the campers?", the guide said it was part of the fun. 

There was a very nice sunset over the lake this evening.